As far as I can remember, I have been very interested in technology and gadgets. My first recollection was receiving a reel to reel tape recorder that my Uncle had as a teenager.

It barely worked. I was able to tinker with it, so I could make recordings. When cassettes came out, I really wanted a new tape recorder. I asked my parents over and over again, but to no avail. Then one day, my Father comes home with a new cassette player – for him!! I was upset. I was the one that told him about the technology. Eventually, he let me use it, but it wasn’t mine. I taped my favorite songs off my transistor radio.

My first purchase of tech was a Dynamite 8.

It was made by Panasonic and played 8 track tapes. It had a plunger on it that mimicked blowing up dynamite. My journey into technology had begun.

Fast forward to 1984. I had been working for Burroughs who was a computer giant at the time. My division did not sell computers, but my Regional Manager had one in his office. He let play around with it. When I joined Dun & Bradstreet, they had “dummy” terminals on our desks to access the billing systems. I became an expert at it. The company decided to start testing Personal Computers with the sales force. I was selected to test an IBM P/S2. I was in my glory. It ran MS-DOS. I taught myself everything about the desktop.

Around this time, we started selling our database on a new technology – CD-ROM. It was a big deal. It was a high ticket item. We had to sell a CD-ROM drive along with the disc because our customers didn’t have CD drives on their computers. I recall one time when I sold a disc to an Investment Bank in Princeton. They wanted to network the disc throughout their company. My manager and I went down to install the software. We ended up crashing their entire system. We could not fix it. Our tech support was on the phone with us, trying to help us. Eventually, my boss said – “OK, I have to go”. There I was stuck with an angry customer. They eventually cancelled the sale. I think we had to pay to get their network back up.

Occasionally, I went to NYC to see customers. We had a Compaq portable computer that had an orange screen and was as big as a small TV. There was one time when I was getting on the PATH train and the strap broke on the carrying bag. It crashed to the ground and that was the end of my sales call that day.

This brings me up to the middle of the 1990’s. I will continue my technology journey in the next post.

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I spent 11 years working for Dun & Bradstreet. After two years of selling reference products to the Financial Markets, I was promoted to Library Markets Manager. At first, I thought that this market would be boring, but after attending my first library conference, I fell in love with the customers and the marketplace. Librarians are special people. They care about their patrons, students and their libraries. They are passionate about having the right products to serve their patrons.

Around the time I became the library sales manager, my town had proposed building a library in the empty lot behind our home. My wife and I were in favor of this, instead of some retail establishment. There was a great debate in town because of the cost. I attended a town council meeting in support of the new library and I expressed my feelings to the Mayor and Council. A couple of weeks later, the Mayor contacted me and asked me if I would join the Library Board of Trustees. I was thrilled. The next town council meeting the Mayor announced my appointment. I had never served on a board before.

The day of my first board meeting arrived. I dressed up in a suit and tie. I was very excited. I was nervous sitting at this long table with strangers. The president of the board introduced me and I told the members of my background. I explained that I was the library sales manager at D&B. The library director liked me right away. During the meeting I was asked to chair the buildings and grounds. I was honored. At this point the library was housed in a former Revolutionary War tavern. Little did I know the issues with the building I was going to have to deal with.

Old Bernardsville Library

A few weeks after that meeting, the Library Director called me at work, and told me that there was a raccoon in the ceiling. My very first challenge!!! After work, I met the director and climbed up into the ceiling to chase the raccoon out. We ended up calling the animal warden. So this is what being a board member was all about. I loved it!!!

Several years later, I became President of the board. I was also appointed to the New Jersey Library Board of Trustees.

My career in working with libraries continued. I was asked by librarians to sit on committees at the American Libraries Association and the Special Libraries Association. At one point, I chaired one of the membership committees. Librarians did not think of me as a vendor, but as one of them. I had built some great relationships.

I ended up working in the library industry for 22 years as a sales person, manager and product director. I miss it. I miss the customers and I miss seeing the libraries across the country. I have stayed attached the Bernardsville Public Library by being a member of the Friends of the Bernardsville Library Board. Someday, I will be back.

Oh, and the new Bernardsville Library was built. It just celebrated its 11th anniversary.

The New Bernardsville Public Library

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I am NOT a millennial, but I sure do have the brain and energy of a 25 year old. I don’t mean that I am immature, however I tend to have the same likes, interest and knowledge of a generation much younger than myself (and my 21 year old nephew and 25 year old niece vouch for that.) I enjoy staying on the edge of pop culture, technology, sports and music. Yes, I can rock to Bruce Springsteen and Imagine Dragons.

My wife, Lil and I have been married for over 27 years. We have been together for 31 years. We met at Montclair State College. My wife would tell you she was the Doogie Howser of college (indicating she graduated at 12, so as not to unveil her age.)

We have no children, but we have the most wonderful Golden Retriever – Luca.

I am currently on a career journey. I have been trying to find my way the last 8 years. When the economy tanked about a decade ago, many of us were put in a tough situation in terms of finding jobs that suited our experience and skills. I have taken a number of jobs in the last years to Pay The Bills, so to speak, but none that really catapulted me back into what I’d find to be, a relevant career. I took a Digital Marketing MINI MBA class at Rutgers some time back, and I loved it and the thought of blogging was exciting to me. I felt it would be a great way to let potential employers get to know me beyond my resume. Lil was all for it too, because it keeps me busy while she’s trying to watch her favorite shows.

I plan to post at least once a week. My goal is to document my career search, express opinions and ideas with topics that interest me, and I really welcome your comments and suggestions. Check in to read about my thoughts regarding pop culture, music, technology, social media, sports and life, in general. One thing I won’t be writing about – Cooking. Nope, I don’t even make toast. When I offer to cook dinner for my wife, she always finds a polite way to tell me thanks, but no thanks.